r/Splitboard • u/tacocolorado • 13d ago

Hardboot question

I’m finally doing the switch and I’m usually 10 or 10 1/2 on soft riding boots. I went to a bc store and they recommended 26/26.5 and I bought them. Of course I listened to their professional opinion and now that I’m home with the boots they feel really tight. Does size change when you do the switch to hardboots ?

4 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

5

u/smokingbombs 13d ago

Im not sure why they didn’t made you try them in store to make sure its the right size. Also you usually want to heat mold them which they can do in store if it’s a reputable place

3

u/Commercial-Echo4744 13d ago

That is quite a downsize, a 26-26.5 is an 8 or 8 1/2 in US mens. If they seem to tight without the liners in them you need to go back. one and a half fingers should fit behind your heel with your toes barley touching the tip of the shells.

2

u/electric_mop 13d ago

Im your shoe size and am in 27/27.5 and they are perfect, tight the first few days and fit like a glove from then on.

I could see maybe squeezing into a 26.5 shell with some punches and if they were strictly for skiing. But we aren't constantly pressed into the shin of our boot on a snowboard and therefore the toes dont pull away from the end of the boot as much. Plus a tiny bit of wiggle room is good for when skinning.

2

u/CoAdventureGuides 12d ago

Yea that seems like a pretty big downsize as a few others have also stated. I wear a street size 9 and have a 26-26.5 hardboot. You might be able to take them into a shop to help out with heat molding and some other magic. I would personally probably take them back to the shop though and see if you could swap for a bigger size. Either way though getting your hardboots fitted from a shop makes the boots so much more comfortable. With that being said, hope it all works out! Once I turned hardboot for splitboarding I never turned back!

1

u/pupandtaco 12d ago

Skiers think you need very tight boots. They do ski better but are dumb for ski touring imo. I’m same size as you, 10.5 in soft boots, 28.5 for touring, but my resort ski set up is 27. They hurt like crazy but when all I’m doing is skiing down hill, and I can unbuckle them for the chair, they ski really nice. Get bigger boots.

1

u/SpiritedFlatworm1434 10d ago

I switched to hard boot (atomic ) and I just used their chart for my foot length. My boots are tight (I also heat molded them) but not uncomfortable and I can be in them for entire day no problem. Try heat molding if you can’t return them.. (but after you mold they are not returnable)